Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1887-08-13

Ill q piCSC vi
swampy woodland, where he doubtless
busted himself in devising plan for the
humiliation of the entire army the mo-
ment they came into sight.
The soldiers never came Whether
they were warned that neighbor Staff
intended destroying them or whether
they never started do not know. They
did not come.
Event succeeded event, and sometimes
the war clouds drew close to us, so close
that several times the heavy rumble of
artillery was distinctly audible.
One day in particular had planned
fishing excursion. was in the house
gathering my accoutrements when
heavy rumble was heard out of doors
"ThunderP' l exclaimed in dismay enc
fishing to-day" and out I rushed to
locate the cloud. THAT is not thunder
said father, thoughtfully, "that is ar
tillery; great battle is being fought"
1t was the battle of Antietam.
Great was my joy as l started cheerily
for the woodland stream. Little care,'
L III walls VI Vi war. LlIGlC J
rocked of Southern rights or preserva
ton of the Union, so long as the sky
smiled serenely and the fish bit ell
couragingly.
Then came the dread excitement of The
draft. twas black day in our calendar
when Uncle Henry Brown, our colored
farmland, was drafted. | was very fond
of Uncle Henry. He was ever ready To-
accompany me on a coon or rabbit hunt,
always had the time to construct a box
trap or snare for me, and at night !
would sit for hours and listen to his
plantation stories or to his songs thai
sounded, oh so melodiously, in the still
night air.
Alas Uncle Henry. I pictured his
body, punctured with hundred bullets,
lying stiff and stark on some CORY battle
field. Alas! Uncle Henry.
wept the morning he started for The
recruiting headquarters and grasped hts
horny hand; Uncle Henry, however, wa.
singularly composed.
1--WE muffin to do wild de wah, an
amt goin' to hab muffin to do wild it," he
declared emphatically.
Sadly wandered over the farm, de-
pressed and lonesome. That night as
supper was preparing Uncle Henry
walked into the kitchen.
"Hyar l is" said he.
Instantly he was overwhelmed with
congratulations and volley of ques-
tions.
"Well, you see," said Uncle Henry, 81
am just leetle knockneed, an as | war
a-goin' to de camp l sez to myself seq I,
Henry, niggah, dose knees OBJ yours
mout turn out a fortunate confiiction,
q, dat Il all ha, ,bo,
l come to de camp, an so walked along,
an bimeby thought one of my shout
ders mout be leetle higher den de cd
der, an so it war.
"Well, when come to de camp, de SER
geant he say, Stan up dar,' an l stan
up.
"He looked at me a while, an den he
say, 'Can'tyou stan no straighter den dat,
my man9
Mot bit boss SEE 7, an tell YOU
chillun, l jest bent dose knees of mine
togeddah until dey hut me and hitched
my shoulder clar up to my ear. Den de
sergeant he ook while an call anudder
officer an he look while; bimeby he say
See h,yar, can'tyou STAN no straighter
"I is dom my best, boss SEE I, and
screwed my knees togeddah.
"'You Is de crookedest man hab cher
laid my eye on sez de sergeant.
"'Your m oder muss hab been skeered
by dogs hind leg afore you was
borned,' SEE de odder officer, kind O
disguised like / seq muffin, but |
stood mighty crooked.
"'We don't want no SIGH man as YOU
SEE de sergeant; you kin CO. an hyar
l is"
The next day Uncle Henry started for
the village store on some domestic err
rand, but returned in trepidation with
out fulfilling his commission.
"De soldiers am takin' de bosses
ebrywhere," he announced in thrilling
tones.
We had had some warning that the
government intended levying on horses
for army use, but this was the first init
nation of its enforcement.
Hide the horses in the middle of the |
big cornfield," commanded father.
Uncle Henry collected the animals